Lost At Sea
by Bellajuku
Summary: Aiichirou is lost, hopeless and alone in the deep dark sea. When he finds Captain Matsuoka, a beautiful man he can only watch from afar, he can't help but to pin his hope for companionship to him. They meet, but is Captain Matsuoka the man he'd imagined him to be, or is his sudden kindness a ploy to win his favor? Aiichirou knows his love might be misplaced, and yet...
1. Prelude

_**AN:**_

_**This is my first story written for Free, but I love Rintori and I've been thinking about a mermaid/pirate AU since I first watched the anime. I only have one or two chapters of this story written, but I have the entire thing planned out, so it shouldn't take terribly long to complete. **_

_**This first chapter is more of an intro, just to introduce Aiichirou and explain the Mer a bit. I hope you guys enjoy, feel free to leave a review~**_

}{

He never used to be so lonely.

That wasn't true, not by a long shot. It couldn't be true; his situation hadn't changed, so how could it have gotten _worse_?

_Easy_, his mind whispered, part of a never ending stream of subconscious chatter that eased the silence around him, _The longer you're alone, the more lonely you become._

Aiichirou wasn't sure how long he'd been alone... His whole life certainly, but how long was that? He didn't know, couldn't even begin to guess. He had no concept of time beyond the rising and setting of the sun, the push and pull of the tide. He had nowhere to be though and nothing to do, so really, it didn't matter.

Except that it was starting to feel like a _very_ long time.

Sometimes Aiichirou tried keeping count of the days as they passed. He'd stay near the surface and watch as the sky turned grey, then pink, then orange, then blue, before reversing back to black. That was one. One day. One day closer to... what? He didn't know.

He could never keep it up for long. The farthest he'd ever made it was fifteen. Fifteen days of swimming, in no particular direction, maybe even in circles, with no end in sight. He'd had to stop; the counting made him sick. After all, how many days had passed before he'd even thought to count? Thousands maybe. How many days would pass until something, _anything _happened? Maybe thousands more.

Or maybe nothing would ever happened. Maybe this was his existence, floating freely for all eternity with no where to go, nothing to do, no purpose or direction, no _companionship_ to ease his time.

He knew there were others like him. He'd seen them, sightings so few and far between that by the time he saw the next one, he'd begun to think he'd imagined the one before them.

They were real though, with arms and hands and fingers like his. Their stomachs, their backs, they were all the same. Their tails were different, in color and length, but they were close enough.

Aiichirou had never seen his own face, but when he looked at the other Mer, he saw himself looking back.

Whenever they crossed paths he felt a pull, a powerful desire to connect that was both exhilarating and suffocating. The pure hope that enveloped him at each sighting pushed tears from his eyes, made his throat feel raw.

They would hardly look at him.

Aiichirou _knew _he could speak. He didn't know how or why he'd learned the language that lived inside him, but it was there. There were so many words trapped inside of his head; words he knew the meaning of but didn't quite understand, words he had never spoken and didn't remember learning, but that itched at the back of his throat, begging to be uttered.

They came out garbled, distorted by the black water that filled his mouth every time he opened it_, _but he was sure the others understood him. They looked at him and looked away, shook their heads as he pleaded for a response, an acknowledgment, a _word._ They brushed him off as he grabbed their hands, their arms, whatever he could reach.

_Please hear me!_

With blank, shuttered faces, sometimes painted with freezing scowls, they paid him no more mind than the fish did. They floated past with little effort, unblinking and uncaring until they were long out of his sight, never to be seen again.

Aiichirou didn't want to be like them, void of emotion and purpose. Their eyes scared him as well; they were milky white and accustomed to the darkness of the deep water they favored, probably blind in the light of the sun. It was more than enough motivation to keep him venturing to the surface, even if it seemed pointless. He wouldn't, _couldn't _become that.

A Mer creature's only true desire is to hoard treasure. Even the floating almost-corpses Aiichirou had encountered were laden with whatever jewels and ornaments they could find. The trouble with deep water though was that not a lot of treasure made it out that far. Usually it was dropped into the sea near ports by silly girls or careless merchants. There, it was either buried in the sand or snatched up by whatever Mer happened to see it first. Very few pieces managed to drift out to sea and even fewer were lost on open water.

Still, that didn't stop the deep water creatures from searching, staying at the deepest depths, hunting endlessly through the sand for a spark of gem, a glint of gold, anything to slake their need.

Aiichirou himself had meager adornments; a few gems tangled in his hair, silver necklaces that wound around his neck and drifted behind him. He'd found bangles too, thin ones that sometimes slipped over his small hands.

He didn't really mind though; he'd found them all by chance, had never in his life _searched_ for jewelry. It was just that when he found them... he couldn't bring himself to leave them behind.

After all, they were all special to someone. Every piece he wore had once belonged to someone, given as a gift from a friend or a lover or even just a gift to themselves. They had made someone happy, no matter how small, and they had probably made someone sad too, when they had been lost. He couldn't stand it, to see something that had once been cherished left to tarnish at the bottom of the sea, lost forever in the darkness.

He couldn't stand to see them left alone.

So he gathered them up and found a place for them on his own body, a new home to adorn until... Until whatever happened, _happened_.

}{

_**Thanks for reading~ **_


	2. Chapter 2

**AN-**

_**So this is the first full chapter, I hope you guys enjoy~**_

}{

Aiichirou shivered as he allowed himself to sink gently, avoiding the sudden stillness above him. The ocean wasn't particularly cold- in fact it was warmer than usual- but the sudden calmness that had descended felt as if a storm might be approaching and Aiichirou wanted nothing to do with it.

Storms were terrifying, even underwater; the angry roiling of the waves, the current that tossed him about so easily... it was horrifying to have so little control. Only once had he dared to look a storm in the face and never again did he plan to; the sky had been as black as the ocean beneath him, flashing with bright, splintering light and a horrible cracking sound like the clouds themselves were breaking. That had been more than enough to send him trembling below the waves.

Now he resigned himself to floating well out of reach of any storm that might spawn, rolling this way and that in the gentle current. The motion calmed him, lulled him, made him want to sleep.

He was seconds away from drifting off when something cause his eye. It was a glimmer, a barely-there reflection of the weak light that filtered from above. He wanted to ignore it, close his eyes and return to the sweet lassitude that had almost enveloped him seconds before, but something in him refused to let go. Every time he closed his eyes they'd slide open an instant later, only to see the strange object growing closer...

...and closer

...and closer

...and _closer_

Whip-fast, Aiichirou's tail fluctuated, sending him rocketing towards his target. He rose up to meet it and gathered the trinket into his cupped palms, bringing it down to eye level and peering through his fingers so it couldn't float away.

It was a ring, large and heavy, probably a man's. The gold was dark and weathered but there was a fat, square cut ruby set into the top that sparkled even in the murky light.

It was unlike anything Aiichirou had ever found before; it wasn't pretty or delicate, thin or fair... It was solid and sturdy and red, so _red _and-

He hadn't found it on the ocean floor.

He'd found it floating _down _from the surface which meant...

Without a second thought Aiichirou was hurtling upwards, cutting through the water with all his strength, suddenly excited at the thought of what he might find above. After all, the ring had to have come from _somewhere_ and last time Aiichirou had checked, there was nothing above him but the sun and moon. Something had to be _different._

He broke through the waves and took a gulp of air through his mouth, highly conscious of his breath for a moment until his body remembered how to process oxygen from air rather than water.

Confusion took over as he appraised his surroundings for the first time, finding nothing but open waters and clear sky. He glanced back and forth along the horizon, searching hopelessly for any sign of disruption.

It was a muffled shout that finally drew Aiichirou's attention behind him. Several in fact; listening intently, Aiichirou could barely hear voices over the never ending churning of the waves.

After a few seconds of disbelief, Aiichirou swung around only to come face to face with a wall.

He stared, dumbstruck, until his body began to float backwards of it's own accord, allowing him a better view.

It was a ship. A _massive _ship; it's dark wet wood rose up threateningly against the gunmetal sky and for a moment, Aiichirou was frozen, wondering if it might topple over onto him.

When it proved stable he swam a bit closer, ran his hand along the rough wood and stared. The side of it was lined with hundreds of portholes going all the way up, getting smaller and smaller on the way. Above that, hundreds of feet away, were great white sails, tattered in places by the battering wind.

Between the sails and the portholes was the deck and around that was a railing and behind that was _oh_-

A man.

He looked small from so far away, leaning against the railing with his arms crossed, shoulders hunched up and head slung between them. Aiichirou could barely make out his features but even from a distance he could see that they were sharp and angular. Everything from his eyes, to his nose, to his mouth and jaw had a hard set to it, chiseled and... angry... a little bit scary. His hair, which hung out from a large black hat, was dark burgundy red.

He was beautiful.

He was the most beautiful creature Aiichirou had ever seen.

The thought startled Aiichirou, prompted him to sink back beneath the water until only his eyes remained above it, peering up at the stranger so far above him.

The anger didn't detract from his features; he was still handsome, even with a snarl. It was frightening but also... thrilling? That had to be it, or else why was his heart stuttering? Aiichirou wanted to know what had happened to leave him looking so aggravated.

_The ring!_

He'd almost forgotten. He squeezed it gently, letting the hard corner of the gem dig into his palm.

The man must have dropped it into the water and was looking for it, that would explain why he was so upset.

_He'll be so happy when I return it. _

The thought made him smile in a way that hoarding treasure never had. This was what he'd always wanted after all; to return the precious things he carried with him to the ones who loved them the most.

Aiichirou swam out a bit farther, trying to put himself in the man's line of sight. He was so far away though and the water was churning with the passage of the ship, making it difficult to stay in one place.

He took a deep, steadying breath to calm himself and wracked his mind for the words he so seldom had a chance to use.

"e-EXCu s e MEe-"

He flinched at the sound of his of his own shattered voice and ducked down below the waves, face burning with shame.

Underwater, his voice had sounded garbled but round, with substance and presence, _audible. _Above the waves his voice had been thin and breathy, catching in his throat and coming out pained and unintelligible.

He bit his lip and felt the ring in his palm. Maybe, if he practiced, it would get stronger. After all, he'd never said a word on the surface before, maybe it was like his breathing; different above the water than beneath. That made sense, or at least, he hoped it did.

Determined to try again, Aiichirou resurfaced, breathing steadily, feeling the dry air sliding through his parted lips. He whispered the words to himself, gently, quietly, but stronger each time. Finally, he felt he might be able to manage a tone that could be heard above the waves.

He smiled, an instinctive expression he'd seldom had cause to display before now. It felt strange, tight in his jaw, but wonderful at the same time.

When he looked up, determined to speak to the man who had inspired such a feeling, the smile slipped from his face.

He was gone.

Disappointment hit him like a riptide, sudden and uncontrollable. The range of emotions he'd experienced in the preceding few minutes was greater than anything he'd ever felt before. It had been exhilarating at the time, but now that it was over he was left with a sudden, heavy exhaustion. He felt the loss acutely, as if he'd been injured, as if he'd believed for his whole life that he would speak to that man and that he would _speak back. _He would speak back and he would end the loneliness.

To form such a belief in a matter of minutes was silly, childish. Aiichirou scolded himself sternly, shaking his head at his own stupidity.

It had just been so _long _since he'd felt such hope...

Bitter disappointment sunk into Aiichirou's stomach as he slipped the ring, to big for his own slim fingers, onto one of his necklaces.

Hot, frustrated tears escaped from his eyes, gone in an instant as they mixed with the ocean, just a few more drops of salt water.

}{

Aiichirou woke with a start, spiraling onto his back to face surface and the sky above it, pale blue and distorted by the water.

Thoughts of the previous day drifted through his consciousness as he stared upwards, wondering if he'd dreamt the entire thing. It certainly _felt _like a dream, the specifics of the encounter slippery and intangible. There had been a ship and a man, with red hair and a cutting expression. There had been a ring...

Slowly, Aiichirou slid his fingers down the length of one if his necklaces until he reached the end. There, without so much as glancing down, he felt the ring, as solid and real as it had been the day before.

The excitement he had felt had fizzled into a dull sort of sadness that made it difficult to float. His body kept trying to sink, dragging him gently lower until he mustered the energy to flick his tail, tread his arms, raise himself up just a few precious inches.

He couldn't stop thinking about the man. His image flickered dauntingly behind his eyelids when he shut them against the sun. It was pointless to dwell on though; just another near-miss, another chance at contact lost. He hadn't even made _eye-contact._

But his heart ached for the memory. He was a _human, _not just another Mer; maybe if he'd caught his attention, he would have known what to do. Maybe he would have spoken back. Maybe he would have had a name.

The thought motivated a slightly stronger kick of his tail and he glided backwards through the water, never taking his eyes off of the surface.

He had looked so beautiful too, even from far away. He had been flushed with color and emotion and _life_. He looked nothing like the despairing creatures Aiichirou was used to seeing.

Warmth swelled in his chest at the memory and his lip stung as he bit it gently. It was strange and he stopped right away, not sure why he had done it in the first pace.

The man had seemed angry and foreboding, but that was so much better than _nothing, _so much more interesting than blankness and apathy. It was so much better than the bleakness he saw in his own kind.

Suddenly, he found himself wondering if that was what _he _looked like; grey and sad and lost. That's what he felt like.

How horrible it would be, to feel like that forever. How entirely possible it was that he would.

But that wasn't how he'd felt the night before.

No, the previous night, gazing up at a man he hadn't even met, he'd felt bright and warm, practically luminous. He'd felt like the moon, glowing and beautiful, all because of the light the sun gave to it.

_Oh..._

Cheeks warm, Aiichirou spun onto his stomach, feeling once again silly at his own feelings. In truth, the encounter had been nothing so dramatic.

Still, it didn't hurt to imagine.

Actually, it felt _really good _to imagine, better than he'd felt in ages. Maybe that was because what he was imagining didn't seem all that impossible. The man hadn't _ignored_ him, he just hadn'tseen him.

Maybe if he _did_...

Aiichirou was biting his lip again and he shook his head as he released it, confused by his new habit. He wanted to feel like this _all _the time though, like he had something to look forward too.

He wanted to see the man again.

The desire surfaced suddenly, overwhelmingly, but Aiichirou did his best to tamp it down. It was pointless, as the ship was probably long gone and it wasn't just the ship moving; Aiichirou had doubtlessly drifted in his sleep.

Even so...

Giving a quick shake to loosen his muscles he swung his body upwards, aiming for the surface.

Eyes closed, Aiichirou allowed his head to break through the waves, not yet daring to look and risk the disappointment of seeing nothing. It was seconds before he found the courage to open his eyes and he did so slowly, staring down at the water before him.

Aiichirou swiveled this way and that, frowning deeply at the open sea.

_It was his own fault, for getting excited. He knew better than that..._

He was about to sink back below the waves, content himself to drift aimlessly once more, when a speck on the horizon caught his eye.

_That has to be it..._

It was so far though, barely even visible... farther than Aiichirou had ever swum in one burst before. Then again, he'd never wanted to _go _somewhere before.

He was swimming before he'd even realized he'd made up his mind.

}{

**_Thank you for reading, please review~_**


	3. Chapter 3

**AN:**

**Hi guys, sorry about the super long wait for this one, I've been really busy with school and all that good stuff. For any of you who read Blow, I haven't abandoned it, it's just on a semi-hiatus due to other projects I'm a bit more excited about atm. You can expect to see some of those soon.**

**Anyway I hope you guys enjoy this. Also, I started this chapter a while ago, so it's a major coincidence that Rin was made Captain of the Samezuka team in Eternal Summer. I was actually worried about what people would think of him being 'Captain' in this story, but I guess it's okay now lmao.**

**Please enjoy and review~ **

}{

Aiichirou was in love.

He wasn't entirely sure what the word meant, only that it had been dwelling in the forefront of his consciousness ever since he began following the ship. It had something to do with being around others, hearing them talk. It had something to do with the man.

As far as Aiichirou could determine, 'love' meant 'not lonely'.

And he wasn't, not by a long-shot; after spending the entirety of his life by himself, the voices that drifted down to him from the ship were more than enough company. He especially liked the laughter, which his mind recognized even though he'd never made the sound himself.

He'd learned another word too: Captain.

That was the man's name. All the other men on the ship called him that. Sometimes they called him Captain Matsuoka, and sometimes they just called him sir, but they almost always called him Captain.

Aiichirou was almost positive Captain meant something as well, something besides a name. When he closed his eyes and thought about it, said the word over and over in his head, it made him think of strong men, someone in charge. A great man.

That's exactly what Captain Matsuoka was; he called out orders at all hours of the day- so loud that Aiichirou could hear him over the waves- and everyone obeyed him. That meant he was a good man; they wouldn't listen otherwise.

He had a wonderful voice too, deep and powerful, so unlike Aiichirou's own frail tone. He fought all day to hear that voice, swimming circles around the ship, bone tired but desperate for more.

He spent a lot of his time with his neck craned back, trying to see Captain Matsuoka again. It was a mostly fruitless endeavor, but it was well worth it for the few spare glimpses he caught.

Every time he saw him he was struck by the intensity of his demeanor; he had never seen him without a glower or a smirk. He always had an expression and Aiichirou lived for them, studying each one and trying to match it with one of the many emotions he had little experience with. Mostly they were just the bad emotions; irritated, angry, nothing Aiichirou wanted to feel.

Twice, Aiichirou had seen him smile. Once, he had heard him laugh. He didn't know the reason for any of these instances, but he thought about them a lot, replaying them in his mind. He wished he would smile more often.

At night, when most of the crew went below deck and Aiichirou was too afraid of losing sight of the ship to sleep, he practiced speaking. Every conversation he overheard seemed to include new words, words he'd never even thought, whose meanings were mysterious and alluring. He learned words like 'mast' and 'sail', which were probably parts of the ship, though he wasn't sure which. He heard 'work' a lot, as in 'get back to work' or 'do some damn work if you have time to fuck around'. He couldn't quite figure that one out, because everyone did something different when they heard it.

His favorite word so far was 'gorgeous'. One of the men who _wasn_'t Captain had said it one evening, just at dusk. He'd been looking out over the water at the setting sun and had proclaimed it "Fuckin' _gorgeous_...". The way he said it sounded wonderful, like gorgeous was just the best thing anything could be. Aiichirou had watched the sunset with him, repeating the word over and over as the sky turned pink, then orange, then black.

_Gorgeous gorgeous gorgeous_

There were some other words too that Aiichirou wasn't so sure of. He didn't know what they meant, but he knew how they _sounded _and it was usually angry. They made him flinch sometimes with how harshly they were spoken, like the word itself could strike him.

_Fuck_

_Shit_

_Bitch_

_Bilge rat_

_Damn_

He memorized them anyway, just in case they were important, and practiced them quietly until dawn when it was time to listen again.

The days passed nicely.

}{

Captain came up on deck some nights to watch the stars. That's what Aiichirou thought he was doing anyway- the weather had been remarkable clear since he'd started following the ship and he couldn't imagine _not _wanting to see the stars as they were then, bright and plentiful, turning the dark sky milky with their light.

They didn't seem to make Captain happy though. He leaned over the rail and sent the sky only sparing glances, mostly watching the water. Once, Aiichirou thought he was looking at him, but then his gaze had drifted elsewhere without reaction and Aiichirou had been almost relieved, overwhelming shyness beating out the desire to connect. It was easier to watch than to be watched back. After all, if Captain looked at him, he wasn't sure what he would see. A monster maybe, like the other deep-water mer. Something hideous and unsettling. Something not 'gorgeous'.

The longer Aiichirou followed, the more his courage dwindled. Deadlines he'd set for himself came and passed and still he was swimming in circles with a ring hanging from his neck like an extra heart. The more in love with the Captain he fell, the more he questioned himself; he despaired over his own meek voice, his too pale skin, his face that he'd never seen. Mostly he despaired over his own cowardice. Captain was brave and strong and important. Aiichirou was small and shy and heartsick. Those sorts of things just didn't go together.

It was still heaven compared to before though; just knowing there were other souls near his, people who looked up at the stars while he did... it was like looking up at the sky and feeling the sun on his face; warmth from something so distant should have been impossible, and yet...

Aiichirou shuddered gently beneath the waves, smiling to himself.

}{

Waking up below the surface was horrible for reasons Aiichirou had yet to comprehend. He lurched awake with a panic he rarely had cause to experience, fumbling his breath, sucking water into his lungs instead of his gills. His veins burned with adrenaline, with the need to swim brea_the struggle surface survive-_

Fighting to calm himself, the slow rocking of the water became more soothing than terrifying and he allowed his eyes to close once more.

He hadn't meant to fall asleep, but weeks of constantly watching the ship had taken their toll and his body felt sluggish and heavy. He rolled to face the surface, ready to poke his head into the world above,but surprised to see just how deep he was.

He hadn't been so low in weeks; he could feel the pressure of the water above him, familiar and comforting in a way. Safe. He usually only dove down during...

As the thought struck him, he finally took notice of the current that had jostled him awake; it was strong and choppy, making it difficult to stay in one place. He could hear the thunder now, muffled, and see the flashes of lightening refracted beneath the water.

He must have instinctively moved into deeper waters to avoid the storm.

Well. That was okay then. It wasn't as if he could stay at the surface during such a fierce gale; better to wait it out and catch up with the ship later.

_The ship..._

Thinking about it sent a wave of anxiety roiling down his spine. What if he lost it? What if he spent so much time cowering in the depths that it moved on without him? Or worse, what if the ship couldn't weather the storm any better than he could and-

What if something happened to Captain?

Anxiety boiled over into panic as Aiichirou darted back and forth restlessly beneath the waves. He was overwhelmed by the need to surface, to check on the ship and it's occupants, but terrified of the storm above.

He didn't know very much about storms, only that the were loud and dark and scary. He didn't know if they could really hurt him, but they deffinetely seemed like they could. They at least made it difficult to swim which, for an entity of water, was unsettling.

Slowly, cautiously, Aiichirou swam forward, aiming for a large shadow on the surface that he was almost positive was the ship. It was difficult to tell in the darkness, but with every illuminating flash of lightening, he became more sure.

It was rocking unsteadily on the surface and Aiichirou felt déjà vu ripple through him as he tensed, afraid it would tip over.

It seemed to be doing alright though; with every roll of the ocean, the ship bucked and recovered, cresting every wave. It made sense; such a strong craft couldn't be tossed around nearly as easily as he could.

Without meaning to, Aiichirou found himself beginning to ascend, only to be beat back by the bruising current. Everywhere he looked there was turmoil, with debris being whipped through the water at a frightening pace. Most of it had probably been swept off the ship by the wind and, not being able to contain his curiosity, Aiichirou made an attempt at grabbing anything within reach.

It was mostly disappointing; bits of rope, a bucket, other things too big to hang on to. It was too dark to examine what he was recovering anyway and, after grabbing something particularly sharp, he aborted the mission.

Satisfied that the ship was not only safe but close, Aiichirou was ready to drift back down out of harms way when he felt a strange rush from above him. He looked up just as he felt the impact that sent him spiraling, tangled with some heavy foreign object.

Dazed, Aiichirou had to fight to reorient himself. In the swirling darkness, up and down were hard to keep track of. It wasn't until a particularly bright flash of lightening told him where the surface was the he managed to right himself, shaking and gasping.

He circled, drifting after his own tail in an effort to calm himself, only to run into whatever had struck him to begin with, sending him lurching backwards.

Tentatively, he reached out his hands, feeling through the cold water until he reached something solid.

It was as big as it had felt, still and... warm. Very warm. Too warm to be an 'it'.

He withdrew his hands quickly, mind racing. Was it another mer? They usually felt cold though, and light. No, this was something different-

The next volley of lightening revealed a man, tanned and well muscled, drifting belly-up in front of him. His body was lax, his eyes were closed and his hair, which swirled gently around his face, was deep burgundy red.

"_Captain!"_

The word clawed it's way out of Aiichirou's mouth of it's own volition, garbled by the water that enveloped his voice. It didn't matter though, because Captain was there, _right there_, and for a moment all his fear melted into joy as he stared at the face he'd been watching for so long.

_Drowning is a mer's first instinct. Their greed for jewels and their greed for companionship manifests in much the same way: covet, keep, possess. A mer thinks nothing of pulling a human from the surface, just as they think nothing of snatching up a gem. They'll drag a man down to the depths till their face is blue and their lungs are screaming just the same as they'll string jewels through their hair; it's only for safe keeping. _

Aiichirou had a grip on the man's arm before he knew what he was doing. Then they were descending, ten feet, twenty, thirty. It wasn't until the water grew quiet in it's distance from the storm that Aiichirou began to consider what he was doing. He paused, turning towards the Captain.

He was being very quiet. Aiichirou thought he would have at least said something by now, but maybe that's not how it worked? Maybe humans only spoke at certain times? That didn't make sense though...

Blind in the darkness, Aiichirou reached out his free hand and touched the man's chest lightly. It wasn't as warm as it had been only seconds ago and that seemed wrong as well. Feeling his way up, his fingers brushed along his sternum, his clavicles, the collar of his shirt, all the way up to his neck.

Carefully, feeling invasive, he let his fingertips press against his throat. Surely, that should have elicited some reaction, but there was no movement, only a slowly growing sense of unease.

Finally, he reached beneath his jaw to feel his gills. He pressed here and there, growing more and more confused until realization hit him with sickening clarity.

_He can't breath_

Fast, faster than Aiichirou had ever swam, faster than he thought he _could_ swim, he made for the surface with Captain in tow. He'd been so selfish, so careless not to check. Now he only hoped he could reach air before it was too late.

Mindless in his goal, Aiichirou fought the currents and his own trembling fear, breaking through the waves and tugging Captain with him, struggling to support his weight even in the water. It took every ounce of strength within him just to keep the man's head above the water, fighting against the harsh wind and lashing rain.

He wasn't waking up though. Aiichirou shook him weakly, called out to him with his breathy voice, but his face was slack, bloated with water, and his eyes refused to open.

Desperate and miserable, Aiichirou searched for the ship. It was mercifully close and, making a snap decision, he swam for it, tears streaming down his face.

_I didn't mean to hurt him_

As he drew closer he saw many people at the rail of the ship, racing back and forth, ropes, nets and ladders at the ready. Frantic, Aiichirou called out for them, his voice all but lost against the waves.

"Please... _Please! Help!"_

They didn't seem to hear him though and continued their search, calling back and forth to one another.

He was beginning to despair when something caught his eye; further down the ship, a small, _much smaller_ boat was being lowered. There were several men inside it, bearing glowing lanterns. Hope bloomed bright in his chest, and he swam to meet them, slim arms shaking with the effort of pulling Captain with him.

As he drew closer, practically underneath their descending craft, they spotted him. They were whooping and shouting up to the men above them.

"_We've found him sir!"_

_"Aye, the captain's right here!"_

They were only a few feet away now, already leaning over the side, reaching down for their limp captain. Aiichirou summoned the last of his strength to heft Captain up from underneath, offering him to his comrades.

They took hold of him roughly, yanking out of the water without much care. Aiichirou wanted to tell them to be careful but, at this point, what right did he have to to tell them how to care for their own.

Instead, he put all his effort into one question, barely managing to keep himself afloat in the harsh weather.

"Will he... be a-... alright?"

There was a heavy thunk as Captain's body was dropped onto the floor of the boat and the men turned back to look over the edge once more. Their eyes grew wide, their jaws slack. Aiichirou brought a hand up to shield his face from the rain, ended up wiping his own tears instead.

"Do you see that boys?"

The one who spoke, a young man with a scruffy face, had his hands braced on the edge of the boat, leaning over like he might leap out any second.

"Aye..."

"I do..."

"Is it a..."

"Aye, it is..."

They seemed mesmerized, but the one who'd spoken first was almost _excited _and Aiichirou shied away, almost regretting having spoken. He wanted to dive, to escape their disbelieving eyes, but more than that he wanted to know Captain would be okay.

Then, as sudden as the lightening above, a net was cast over him and all he could hear was the cackling of the men above him as they worked to snare him.

"Grab the little bitch!"

"Tryin' to drown out captain, eh?"

Most of their words were lost on Aiichirou, but he recognized them as jeers all the same. He was hopelessly tangled in the net and his frantic, confused attempts at escape were only making it worse. He splashed desperately, struggled with all his might, but his body was exhausted after supporting Captain for so long and even his strong tail felt numb. He twisted anyway as the hauled him into the boat, dropping him harshly, one man resting his boot on his thin, sensitive tail fin. Aiichirou cried out in pain, afraid to pull away lest he tear the membrane and maim himself permanently. He settled for pleading, unused to speaking through tears, stumbling over his words.

"_Please please put me back please I want to go back please-"_

A rough hand caught hold of his face through the net and Aiichirou's stomach lurched as the boat began to rise, pulled choppily upwards on ropes.

"You'd do best to shut your mouth you little demon."

"Aye, We know all about _your kind_, darlin'. Pretty tears won't save you now."

Shaking, Aiichirou tried to turn to see who was speaking, but the hand on his jaw held him fast, gripping like he meant to bruise.

"Don't listen to a word it says boys, they're trickster fey. Have you throwing yourself overboard in a heartbeat, it will."

_Fey? Trickster?_

Some part of his mind knew about the fey. The Good Neighbors. _Faerie_. It conjured images of tiny wicked beings, things that lured and tricked and devoured for their own amusement. Was he fey? Were mer fey?

He shuddered, suddenly lightheaded. His tail was tingling now, probably from being so wickedly crushed. He tried to stifle his own crying, hoping the man would stop. He didn't.

By the time they reached the deck of the ship, Aiichirou felt he might pass out. But when the men around him rose to hand their captain over to waiting arms, he forced himself to focus.

A tall man was at the center of the small crowd and he accepted Captain into his grip quite easily, calling for the other to make space to he could set him down on the deck. Aiichirou was tossed over with much less care, unbeknownst to those who hadn't occupied the rescue craft. One of the men kept a firm hand on his arm through the net, but other than that all focus was on the captain.

Aiichirou watched, barely breathing, as the tall man- who's hair was also red, but brighter- began to work on Captain. He tore open his flimsy linen shirt and pressed an ear to his chest, saying something that sent a murmur of relief through the crowd.

He pinched Captain's nose closed, sealed their mouths together and blew hard, face red with the effort. He did it again. Then again. Then-

Captain jolted suddenly, rolled onto his side and vomited violently, sea water rushing out of him with every heave of his body. He was on his hands and knees for sometime, expelling every drop water onto the deck, eventually beginning to cuss and carry on between breaths.

When he was done, he smacked his hand savagely against the deck and the man who'd given him breath stepped forward, helping him to his feet. As soon as he was standing, he shook the man off.

Aiichirou was crying again, but this time it was more relief than anything. Somehow he'd managed to forget his position and was now only happy that he hadn't killed the he was alive and okay and-

"_What the in the hell is that?_"

There was silence as all eyes turned towards Aiichirou, tangled and prone, propped against the wall of the ship. He flinched from the sudden attention, just as the man who'd been holding onto tossed him forward into the center of the crowd.

"This is the little bitch that tried to drown our captain!"

He stomped down on the end of his tail for emphasis and Aiichirou let out a pained sob, curled face down on the rough wooden deck.

A riot of jeers went up through the men. Words he'd never heard before, like 'demon' and 'monster' were tossed around. There was another boot, this time to his stomach, and he had to cover his mouth to keep from crying again.

The abuse only increased as he felt another kick, then another, before one man spit on him and the rest began to follow suit. He kept his eyes closed, his mouth covered, and waited, not knowing whether it would stop or if he would just pass out.

But it _did _stop, suddenly, with a ferocious shout.

"_Back off all of you, you bunch of bilge rats."_

A hush fell over them all. The beating stopped.

Over the sound of the rain, which had slowed to a drizzle, Aiichirou heard heavy footsteps stalk towards him. Terrified, miserable, he still felt the need to look.

Captain was standing over him, narrowed red eyes staring down into his face. Aiichirou shivered.

He had spent weeks following this man, pining for him, wanting to speak to him more than he'd wanted _live_. Now here he was, and Aiichirou would have given anything just to sink back below the waves, to never see another human again. He was still crying he realized. He wanted to stop.

"Did you try to drown me?"

His words stuck in his throat. Did he?

No. No, he hadn't meant to. He hadn't meant to hurt him.

"N-no..."

His voice was breathless, but his words were clear and Captain cocked his head at him, expressionless.

"Are you sure-"

"Captain it's got your ring!"

Captain turned suddenly to jab a finger at whoever had spoken

"Did you just interrupt me you-"

"Sir," The tall man spoke, gesturing towards Aiichirou gently.

Captain turned back to him, looking him over. Eventually, his eyes alighted on the small ruby ring that hung around his neck.

"It must have stolen it off your hand..."

This time, Captain ignored the murmurs of his men, shaking his head faintly. His eyes flashed up to meet Aiichirou's once, before returning to his ring.

He drew a small, sharp blade from his belt and reached for Aiichirou, not hesitating when his men snickered or even when Aiichirou flinched away, eyes brimming.

Without fanfare, Captain began cutting Aiichirou out of the net, hands gentle when they needed to touch him, blade careful and steady when he moved to snip away what was tangled near his face. He drew the netting away piece by piece, silently, face blank. Aiichirou was frozen to the spot, not sure if he should be grateful or afraid.

When he moved on to his tail, which was the most tightly bound, Aiichirou felt his fingertips brush over the small, silvery scales as if he were examining them. He didn't speak though, didn't hurt him, only kept cutting away at the net.

When he finished, Aiichirou drew his tail under himself protectively, afraid of being stepped on again. It was still strangely tingly, a sensation he hadn't felt before, and he hoped he'd be able to swim if they decided to put him back. Captain had turned back to the surrounding men, speaking forcefully, although Aiichirou was too tired to really listen. Instead, he let his head fall back and gaze up at the man who'd just released him from his painful ensnarement.

Everything was confusing now; he'd wanted for so long to speak to these people. They'd cured his loneliness with their voices, their laughter. Captain was the focus of his affections but the others... the others had lifted his spirits as well and... they all wanted him dead.

But Captain had helped him. Captain had been careful and gentle with him and when he'd looked at him... Aiichirou sighed gently, closed his eyes. Captain didn't want to hurt him.

Lost in his own gratitude, he startled badly at the shout that tore through the air.

"Christ almighty, look what it did!"

Heads whirled towards Aiichirou as he looked back and forth, unsure of his offense. Hands raised defensively, he bit his lip, fighting off another onslaught of tears.

They didn't seem angry though, only confused and a little... he didn't know what the other emotion was, but it scared him all the same. Even Captain looked startled, staring not at Aiichirou's face, but down at his tail...

_Oh_

Curled beneath him was not six feet of sleek, silvery tail, but two pale, skinny human legs.

The sound that came out of his mouth wasn't a scream, or a sob, but a horrible, wounded keen he didn't know he could make. He was too frozen to cry or to speak, all he could do was stare, stare at what could not, _could not _be a part of his body.

He could hear voices, but they were muffled, distant. Instead, the sound of his own breath was thundering, coming faster and faster until the edges of his vision began to blur and blacken. He passed out, hands clenched over his chest, fingers curled tight around Captain's ring.

}{


End file.
